Junior League gives 9 new teachers money, help decorating classrooms

By Tessa Duvall | tduvall@mrt.com

Published 6:27 pm, Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Photo: James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

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Allison Dyer, left, a Junior League member, shops with Chelsea Carwile, right, a first-year P.E. teacher at Travis Elementary on Tuesday at Mardel Christian and Education Supply. The Junior League of Midland gave nine first-year teachers $200 to go shopping for classroom decorations. less

Allison Dyer, left, a Junior League member, shops with Chelsea Carwile, right, a first-year P.E. teacher at Travis Elementary on Tuesday at Mardel Christian and Education Supply. The Junior League of Midland ... more

Photo: James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

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Junior League of Midland gave nine first-year teachers $200 to go shopping at Mardel for classroom decorations.

Junior League of Midland gave nine first-year teachers $200 to go shopping at Mardel for classroom decorations.

Photo: James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

Junior League gives 9 new teachers money, help decorating classrooms

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When first-year teacher Leah Daniel looked at the items she needed for her classroom and the money it would cost her, she had what she described as an “Oh goodness!” moment of shock.

So it was a relief for Daniel to learn that Junior League of Midland would provide her and eight of her fellow first-year colleagues at Travis Elementary School $200 each to spend at Mardel Christian & Education Store.

“I’ve been very impressed with all the organizations in Midland that helped the school district in general,” said Daniel at the shopping outing on Tuesday.

Jessica Louder, chair of volunteers in Midland for Junior League, said the idea for the service project, called “Teacher’s Pet,” came from an organization member who is also a teacher at Travis. In addition to the $200 for supplies, the nine teachers will receive four hours of help decorating and organizing their classrooms on Monday, Louder said.

Daniel, a pre-kindergarten teacher, said she’s already spent about 15 hours organizing her classroom and has yet to begin decorating. The Junior League’s support provides much-needed help at an already stressful time of the school year, she said.

Louder said “Teacher’s Pet” aims to lift the spirits of new teachers, in addition to saving their pocketbooks some pain. Providing classroom decorations and supplies will help provide a positive, comfortable learning space for students, she said.

“Some classrooms are bright and cheery and wonderful, and some teachers can’t afford that,” she said.

Reagan Hughes, a new kindergarten teacher, came prepared with a list of supplies she still needs for her classroom, even after already spending $400.

“This is a much-needed, weight-off-the-shoulders type of deal,” she said.

Hughes, who recently relocated from Dallas to take her teaching position, said community organizations’ support for teachers is a “blessing.”

“The first year is the roughest year,” she said. “It makes it easier for us when everyone is behind us.”